During the Book Fair in September, the University of Gothenburg participates on several stages and arenas both as an arrangement and as a participant.
The seminar program
The university annually participates in several of the Book Fair's own seminars.
Theme Public education
The 2026 book fair promotes public education and shows how knowledge and culture strengthen the individual, the community and democracy. In an age of polarization and misinformation, public education is essential for understanding, source criticism and a lively democratic conversation.
Organizer: Folkbildningsrådet, Swedish Academy, Gothenburg University together with Folkuniversitetet and the Swedish Bible Society.
The free speech scene
Here, space is given for conversations about democracy, freedom of expression and the sanctuary idea's important initiatives for these issues.
Organizer: Jonsereds Herrgård, is a partner together with Book Fair, Gothenburg City's cultural administration, Hanaholmen - cultural center for Sweden and Finland, ICORN, Swedish Academy, Voksenåsen - cultural center for Swedish-Norwegian cooperation and WIN WIN Gothenburg Sustainability Award.
Stand program
Every day during the Book Fair, the stand is filled with lectures and talks. The program in the stand will be published at the beginning of september.
Program items
Click on the links below to share which program items we participate in day by day. The program is mainly in Swedish, but there are some items that will be held in English. See more information below or click on the links to view the full program for each day.
Program items Thursday 24 September
Program items Friday 25 September
Program items Saturday 26 September
Program items Sunday 27 September
Program items are replenished regularly until the Book Fair starts in September.
Program Items in English
Friday 25 September
12:30–13:00 Knowledge for a Changing World
In a world of global crises and rapid change, what role can social sciences play? This conversation explores the role of social science in the global knowledge economy: from shaping policy and international cooperation, to deepening our understanding of complex societal challenges. How can social sciences reach beyond academia and create meaningful change?
NB: The conversation will be held in English.
Participants: Swati Parashar, Professor in Peace and Development Studies at the School of Global Studies (SGS), Gothenburg University; Anja Karlsson Franck, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in Peace and Development Studies at the School of Global Studies (SGS), Gothenburg University.
Organizer: University of Gothenburg and Folkuniversitetet
Venue: Stand B08:69
17:00–17:45 From Ukraine to the Comics Page: War, Displacement, and Public Education
How can a suitcase tell a story of war and displacement? In the graphic novel Det vi bär med oss, we follow a story from Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, told from the suitcase’s perspective.
This discussion explores how comics can make experiences of displacement accessible to a broad public and serve as a form of public education through image, text, and feeling.
NB: The discussion will be held in English.
Participants: Gregg Bucken-Knapp, Professor of Public Administration, University of Gothenburg; Olga Ivanova, Program Director, Stabilization Support Services (Kyiv); Julia Nascimento, illustrator. Moderator: Karin Hjorthen Zelano, Investigator, Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate.
Organizer: University of Gothenburg and Folkuniversitetet
Venue: Stand B08:69
Saturday September 26
Across Worlds: Reading Abdulrazak Gurnah
Abdulrazak Gurnah’s fiction has found readers across the world. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021, Gurnah opens up questions of history, migration, belonging and the ways in which we encounter worlds beyond our own. In this conversation, Tina Steiner, Professor of English at Stellenbosch University, and Maria Olaussen, Professor of English at the University of Gothenburg, editors of Critical Perspectives on Abdulrazak Gurnah, reflect on what it means to read Gurnah across different contexts and communities.
Participants: Tina Steiner, Professor of English at Stellenbosch University; Maria Olaussen, Professor of English at the University of Gothenburg.
Organizer: University of Gothenburg and Folkuniversitetet
Venue: Stand B08:69
